New Delhi, September 19
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) today accepted responsibility for implementation of the Rotational Transfer Policy (RTP) in place since 2007 for officers of the Central Secretariat Services, but said ministries too must cooperate for the provision to become a success.

The Tribune had yesterday revealed how officers were overstaying in one place much beyond their prescribed service periods. The Rotational Transfer Policy, a major anti-corruption rule, is currently being implemented in a phased manner to prevent disruption of government work due to sudden mass transfers.

In the initial phase, the DoPT is seeking ministries’ cooperation to transfer undersecretaries and section officers (SOs) who have been in one department for over 16 years.

“Though the actual service cap for the two is five and seven years, respectively, we are trying to enforce the Rotational Transfer Policy gradually by first sending out those who have been there for over 16 years. But the ministries need to cooperate,” DoPT sources said.

Inquiries made by The Tribune, however, revealed that as late as August 10 this year, 16 government departments had not furnished to the DoPT a list of undersecretaries who had stayed beyond 16 years even though orders in this respect had been issued on September 5 last. Subsequent reminders were sent by the DoPT on March 29, May 25 and June 22 this year.

The DoPT’s August 10 memo lists 16 defaulting ministries and departments: Ayush (health ministry), civil aviation, defence, disinvestments, food and public distribution, heavy industries & mines, new and renewable energy, public enterprises, Registrar General of India, social justice, Staff Selection Commission, tribal affairs, UPSC, women and child development and ST Commission. The memo says, “This department has not been able to proceed with rotational transfer of undersecretaries only on account of non-receipt of information from the above ministries.”

Speaking to The Tribune today, DoPT sources said they would vigorously pursue the matter with the departments concerned. Asked specifically what action the DoPT was taking in cases where certain officers were repeatedly ducking transfers, department officers said cases of repeated violations were under their active consideration for what action to take.

A specific reference here was to two section officers of the Corporate Affairs Ministry -- RL Arora and Vinod Kumar -- who had secretary-level officers in the ministry lobbying with the DoPT to cancel last year’s transfer orders. Both have served the ministry for over 33 years.

“It is true that despite our three reminders these officers stay where they were. The matter is under our consideration,” DoPT sources said.

The Tribune had yesterday reported that the Corporate Affairs Ministry had 14 of its 23 section officers serving for over seven years of mandated service; seven of them had served for over 16 years. Nearly 4,000 government officers are estimated to be overstaying in one ministry.